Bulger Exerting Leadership; What Jerseys Will Rams Wear Sunday?

By Howard Balzer
Friday, October 17, 2008

PACE GAME-DAY DECISION; INCOGNITO FINED $35,000
Rams left tackle Orlando Pace practice on a very limited basis Friday, but the team is leaving t he option open that he might play Sunday against the Cowboys. Adam Goldberg took virtually all of the snaps with the first unit at left tackle.

Said coach Jim Haslett of Pace: "We’re going to see how he feels (Sunday). He’s going to work some tomorrow and then we’ll go from there.”

Meanwhile, right guard Richie Incognito was fined a total of $35,000 for several incidents in last week's game against Washington.

The largest amount was $25,000 for continued verbal abuse of an official. He was also fined $5,000 each for what was called a major facemask and a chop block.

BULGER EXERTING LEADERSHIP; WHAT JERSEY'S WILL THE RAMS WEAR SUNDAY?
He's never been one of the team's more vocal players, but when quarterback Marc Bulger talks, teammates listen.

He has certainly struggled going back to last season, and then this year was benched by then-coach Scott Linehan before the team's Week 4 game against Buffalo. Running back Steven Jackson spoke out, saying Linehan had made a bad decision, and said other players felt the way he did.

When Linehan was fired following that loss, the first thing new coach Jim Haslett did was reinstall Bulger as the starter. Bulger didn't have a great game against the Redskins, but the team won, and his 43-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery got the Rams in position for the game-winning field goal.

Bulger talked to the team the day before the game in Washington saying it was one they could win. When they did, in the locker room after the game, Bulger stood up and reminded the team of what he had said.

Coach Jim Haslett said he likes what he sees from Bulger, especially off the field. Noting that Bulger also "worked the sideline" well during the game against the Redskins, Haslett said, “He’s throwing the ball well. It (injured finger) is black and blue and puffed up, but he’s a tough guy and he’s doing a nice job of running this team. He’s the leader of this team and he’s stepped up the last couple weeks and he’s kind of taking over. I’m proud of him, I’m glad the way he’s doing things.”

Said Jackson, talking about Bulger's effort to exert a leadership role and talking to the team, "He gave a few words of encouragement; telling guys what he expected out of us. It was good to see him do that.”

Bulger threw without any trouble Thursday and took all the reps with the first unit. Bulger also commented on reports that Dallas quarterback Tony Romo might not try to play with a broken right pinkie finger. Knowing what he has experienced with just a jammed finger suffered last week, Bulger said, "I don't know how he's going to try and play."

The risk for the Cowboys is that the break could get worse by playing. The break currently is not displaced, but if it did, he would miss a lot more than the original estimate of four weeks. Aside from throwing, just the act of taking snaps and being hit could create problems.

While it was widely reported that Romo practiced Thursday, it was mostly light throwing during individual drills. He did limited work in team segments, and did not take any direct snaps or do any handoffs on running plays.

MORE ON HASLETT'S CONTRACT
In the ongoing story regarding the quest to place a clause in coach Jim Haslett's contract that guarantees him the head coaching job going forward if the team wins a certain number of games, agent Peter Schaffer said Thursday that "our intention is to comply with the Rooney Rule. We certainly don't want the Rams to be fined."

When asked if the rule, which mandates that teams interview at least one minority candidate when hiring a head coach, would prohibit such a contract stipulation from being included, Schaffer said, "We're working on it."

In the conversation with Schaffer, it sounded as if he was going overboard saying how important the Rooney Rule is for the league. My gut feeling? The clause was already agreed to or was in the contract, without realizing the impact of the Rooney Rule. When the story came out of its existence, backtracking occurred so the Rams would stay in compliance with the rule.

The bottom line is this: No matter how many games the Rams win under Haslett, the club will have every right to rehire him if they believe he is the man for the job ... after a minority is interviewed.

Having said that, the NFL should adjust the rule for these situations, so a team isn't forced to interview someone when there is no intention of giving him the job. The rule is designed to create opportunities to get job, not to just have interviews.

PACE STILL QUESTIONABLE
With Thursday's practice held in full pads, left tackle Orlando Pace did not practice while he rests a thigh injury. However, it's still possible he will play Sunday against the Cowboys.

Coach Jim Haslett said it will likely be a game-day decision, and that even if Pace does little Friday, he could play. "If he feels he’s ready to go then yeah he’ll play,” Haslett said.

Pace said, "It is getting better. I haven’t done any pushing or anything on anybody. I think I am going to be fine. I am going to get out there tomorrow and practice a little bit and see how it feels and go from there.”

Asked if he will play Sunday, Pace said, “I feel good just walking around. I did a little running, a little quad extension and all that today, so I felt pretty good on that. I am going to practice tomorrow and see what I can do. See how it feels and go from there.”

Going against the Cowboys' 3-4 defense, whether Pace or Adam Goldberg plays left tackle, they will be matched up at times against outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.

Ware has sacks in nine consecutive games, and a sack against the Rams would tie the NFL record of 10 straight set by Denver's Simon Fletcher.

Asked whether Ware is just a good pass rusher, Goldberg said, “I think that would be selling him short. He’s a good player all around. He’s obviously gifted athletically but he’s got good hands, he’s a good technician and studies the game pretty well too, because he’s really good at taking what the offensive linemen give him. He’s the total package.”

If Goldberg has to play, offensive coordinator Al Saunders will have to decide whether to give help to Goldberg in the matchup against Ware, especially in passing situations.

Said running back Steven Jackson, “I am already in the mindset that Goldberg is going to start at left tackle for us. He stepped in during the game last week and played a little left guard and a little left tackle and he did a great job. I have all the confidence in the world that he is going to do his job and if need be, we need to help him. If we need to slide back the protection towards him, I think coach Saunders is prepared to do that.”

SIMPLY NOTING
*The Rams, who usually wear their blue jerseys at home, will switch to white this week so the Cowboys will be forced to wear their blue jerseys. The Rams will also wear blue pants.

*The Rams didn't have to go above the minimum salary of $730,000 in re-signing cornerback Fakhir Brown. Assuming Brown is with the team for the rest of the season, the prorated share of that salary is $472,353 over the final 11 games of the season. It is believed Brown also filed for termination pay to cover the final 13 weeks of his original $1.95 million salary.

*Cornerback Ricky Manning was on crutches in the locker room Thursday after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair a broken fibula in his leg.

*The sign in the locker room had gone unchanged since being put up in the offseason. On the wall above the entrance into the equipment area from the locker room, it said, "A Winning Tradition. The St. Louis Rams. Now at 501 wins and counting."

Sunday night, after returning home from the win in Washington, equipment manager Todd Hewitt removed the sticker for the final number and it changed to 502. Said Hewitt, "It took a while to get the 1 off because it had been there for a while."

Hewitt also put in the order for nearly 200 game balls that will be given to everyone in the organization after the win over the Redskins. Normally, it takes a day or two to receive game balls, but with this many needed, they all won't be delivered for about two weeks.

THE QUOTEBOOK
*Jackson was told some Redskins players thought he weighed as much as 255 pounds. Joked Jackson, “No, I’m 233 actually. If I was 255, I'd be fined."

*Haslett on the possibility that Romo will play for Dallas: “You know what, if you’re going to play a great team -- and this is a great football team with a lot of talent -- if you’re going to play them, then play them with their best. I know he’s a tough guy and he’s a competitor, so if he plays we’ll deal with it.”

Haslett on if good health is why linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is playing well: “I think that’s the No. 1 thing. He’s healthy, he’s playing with great pad level, the guy is playing with power for a guy that’s not big in stature, I mean, he’s extremely fast, obviously. But the guy is doing everything right and that’s the reason he’s not getting nicked up and hit because his mechanics and techniques are just ... he’s doing everything right for the first time since I’ve been here.”

*Running back Antonio Pittman (leg), who did some limited work in practice Wednesday, did not participate Thursday with the team in full pads. Pittman is expected to be able to play Oct. 26 against New England. ... Cornerback Ron Bartell appeared on the injury report Thursday with a shoulder issue, but he participated fully in practice and is expected to play Sunday against the Cowboys. ... Running back Kenneth Darby, signed off the Falcons' practice squad Monday, has showed some quicks in practice, and has been getting some snaps with the first unit. Darby is expected to dress as the third back Sunday and play special teams, but don't be surprised if he gets some carries instead of Travis Minor when Jackson needs some plays off.

Re: Bulger Exerting Leadership; What Jerseys Will Rams Wear Sunday?

Man. We're playing with white jerseys? At least we're not playing with white pants. I don't like the all white uniforms. And the blue pants make the white look REALLY good. Just my opinion.

I think it is time to find Pace's retirement. I was all for one of the good LB's in the draft, but Pace is pissing me off always getting hurt. It almost feels as if he's stealing a paycheck from us. Get a young guy in here to eventually replace him. We always need the back up starting.

I really hope that our offense steps it up this week. It's depressing seeing our offense ranked so low. STEP IT UP RAMS!

Re: Bulger Exerting Leadership; What Jerseys Will Rams Wear Sunday?

I want to see the Rams use their gold (alternate) jerseys one game, since I have never been able to watch them do so. I don't want them to use the white-top; however if they used the old jersey from when they won the Superbowl in '99 that would like sick

Re: Bulger Exerting Leadership; What Jerseys Will Rams Wear Sunday?

*The sign in the locker room had gone unchanged since being put up in the offseason. On the wall above the entrance into the equipment area from the locker room, it said, "A Winning Tradition. The St. Louis Rams. Now at 501 wins and counting."

Sunday night, after returning home from the win in Washington, equipment manager Todd Hewitt removed the sticker for the final number and it changed to 502. Said Hewitt, "It took a while to get the 1 off because it had been there for a while."

Hewitt also put in the order for nearly 200 game balls that will be given to everyone in the organization after the win over the Redskins. Normally, it takes a day or two to receive game balls, but with this many needed, they all won't be delivered for about two weeks.

Nice .....everybody gets a game ball and the number of wins has changed.

Re: Bulger Exerting Leadership; What Jerseys Will Rams Wear Sunday?

I too find it funny that the Rams are changing uni's to make the Cowboys wear their blues. Like that will make a difference....

The Rams are going to need more than a uniform change to win this game.

...but if I had my rathers, I'd get rid of the ugly uni's they wear now (all of the mix & match uni's suck, IMHO) and go back to the old blue and gold, or.... go back to the blue and white. If we have to wear the new colors (and I know we do) I like the all white personally. Reminds me of the old uni's I guess.